The 15 greatest comedies ever!

They say laughter is the best medicine. But what if you're not sick? Is it some sort of Incredible Hulk-inducing Superdrug that can make men into mountains? Or does it have a less impressive placebo effect, filling non-existent holes within your full lives? Or maybe it does neither. Or both. What was my point again?

Oh right. Comedy is good! No matter where you are, there is always something funny to see. Someone dropping the cake at a wedding. A cat jumping right into a wall. Your best friend locked out of his own bedroom completely naked while his grandparents walk up the stairs to say hello (long story).

We've compiled the 15 greatest movie comedies of all time to celebrate our brand new Comedy Classics Collection. The Quickflix team has gone to great lengths to measure laughs/per minute, longevity of the film's popularity, cult influence, and general quotability to decide on a solid list. So please enjoy, criticise, or agree wildly with the below titles. And if you haven't seen any - queue 'em up!

15. Rushmore

Max: He just made my list of things to do today.

I guess you could call Rushmore a teen film, but I certainly wouldn't. Very few teen movies feature amateur stage productions of Serpico and Casualties of War. Even fewer feature a self-confessed child prodigy at war with a multi-millionaire over the affections of a teacher. But hey, Rushmore does. It just made my list ... of greatest comedies ever.

14. Groundhog Day

Phil: I’m a god. I’m not the God. I don’t think…

Harold Ramis' Capra-esque Groundhog Day is the most conventional movie on this list. But trust me, that is NOT a bad thing. G-Day is one of the greatest screenplays ever written - a perfect exercise in character arc and evolution. But don't worry about that nonsense - it's funny as hell. Dial Bill Murray to 'deadpan' and you've got yourself a winner every time.

13. Life of Brian

Brian: I am NOT the Messiah! Arthur: I say you are the Lord, and I should know. I’ve followed a few.

The Monty Python troupe could make anything funny. Dead birds. Cheese-related homicide. Even crucifixions. Sure, Life of Brian still makes a lot of people angry. But as they say - "always look on the bright side of life". If they can say that while on the cross, then we can definitely take a page from their book.

12. Clerks

Dante: You hate people! Randal: But I love gatherings. Isn’t it ironic?

Kevin Smith's directorial debut broke ground in what a comedy could be. It didn't need sight gags, or romance, or any real conflict. It just needed two guys to say funny things to each other. Funny, dirty things. And I mean, really, really dirty. Seriously, this thing is rated R and doesn't have a single sex scene or violent act in it. Impressive, no?

11. This is Spinal Tap

Lt Hookstratten: May I start by saying how thrilled we are to have you here. We are such fans of your music and all of your records. I'm not speaking of yours personally, but the whole genre of the rock and roll.

Hmmm, should I try and crowbar in the famous "this one goes to 11" line somewhere in this paragraph? It's so cliched - everyone does it, as if it's the only funny line in the film. Don't people realise - every line in this film is hilarious. Every single line! In fact, on a list of 1 to 15 of the greatest comedies ever made - this one goes to 11. Wow! I did it!

10. There's Something About Mary

Mary: Is that... is that hair gel?

I remember seeing There's Something About Mary when I was just a young buck. It was an eye-opener, that's for sure. I recall cinema patrons LITERALLY rolling in the aisles during one of the many hilarious sequences. I wouldn't get most of the jokes for a couple more years. But oh man, when I did...

9. The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Trish: What is this, your roofie, your date drug? Andy: It’s a mentos. They’re the freshmaker.

As a rule, if a film has a funny movie title, it's probably not a very good film. See: I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Dumb and Dumberer, Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigalo. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is the exception to the rule, thanks to Judd Apatow and Steve Carell's incredibly sweet and incredibly filthy script. Oh, and it has a big musical number at the end. So there's that.

8. Young Frankenstein

Igor: You know, I'll never forget my old dad. When these things would happen to him … the things he’d say to me. Dr Frankenstein: What did he say? Igor: “What the hell are you doing in the bathroom day and night? Why don’t you get out of there and give someone else a chance?”

Mel Brooks' classic tribute to Mary Shelly's Frankenstein is the way movie spoofs are meant to be. It's a thoughtful, self-contained horror film that also happens to be gut-bustingly funny. Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer take note - you will never make a film this good. Like when Gene Hackman's blind man screams out, "Wait, I was going to make espresso!" I don't know why that's funny, but it is.

7. Borat

Borat: I will look on your treasures, gypsy. Is this understood?

Part documentary, part improvisation, part nude male wrestling. All the ingredients add up to one of the greatest movie comedies in history. It was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2006 Oscars. It might be the first Oscar nominee to feature a character called Urkin the Rapist. Fact.

6. Superbad

Evan: Take off that vest. You look like Aladdin.

Alright, I'm certain most people will disagree with this one. Is Superbad the 6th greatest comedy of all time? No. It's THE greatest comedy of all time! How do you like that! As far as laughs per minute go, I doubt you will find a funnier film on this list. Sadly, it hasn't made quite the cultural impact of the top five films, so it must sit just outside. Just you wait Superbad. Your day will come.

5. Annie Hall

Alvy: What's with all these awards? They're always giving out awards. Best Fascist Dictator: Adolf Hitler.

Woody Allen's convention bending Annie Hall redefined introspective cinema (and pretty much all romantic comedies) since. If you can get past all the neurosis, this is one of the most truthful and affecting comedies about romance ever made. It might also be the best film to feature Woody Allen fighting a lobster, but time will tell on that one.

4. Waiting For Guffman

Dr Pearl: People say, You must have been the class clown. And I say, 'No, I wasn't'. But I sat next to the class clown, and I studied him.

Christopher Guest's improvisational smorgasbord Waiting For Guffman is the ultimate mockumentary. Starring comic geniuses Eugene Levy, Fred Willard and Catharine O'Hara as amateur actors aiming for the big time. It's a must see classic for fans of ... well, laughter.

3. The Big Lebowski

Walter: You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.

Originally panned upon release, The Coen Brothers' cult classic The Big Lebowski has managed to spin off its very own religion. A comedy that has created its own religion? That's worthy of a top 3 rank alone. Jeff Bridges' Dude and John Goodman's Walter make a hell of a duo, in this shaggy dog caper to end all shaggy dog capers.

2. Flying High

Captain Oveur: Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison?

Flying High (known as Airplane! overseas) takes on a tricky task: Can you make a film in which every line of dialogue is a joke? How about one in which there is ALWAYS something silly happening in the background? Or a film in which every single sign or post has something funny written on it? Normally, no. But somehow, through some sort of black magic, Flying High manages to succeed in every respect. Not one joke falls flat in this airline disaster spoof. Surely, I can't be serious? I am serious ... (everybody now) AND DON'T CALL ME SHIRLY! Boom!

1. Dr Strangelove

General Turgidson: Mr. President, I'm not saying we wouldn't get our hair mussed, but I do say no more than ten to twenty million killed, tops.

Stanley Kubrick's political satire Dr Strangelove still holds up, 45 years after it was made. Not only because we still live in a world crippled by its fear of (and lust for) war, but because it's downright hilarious. The inimitable Peter Sellers takes on three vastly different roles (including the titular Doctor), and creates three of the funniest film characters in history. Who would have thought the director of The Shining and A Clockwork Orange would make the greatest comedy of all time (and I'm not talking about Eyes Wide Shut!)

Now over to you! What did we miss? What do you love? What do you hate?